Past, Present And Future
by Real Emma Gray
Summary: After his trip to the future, Chris finds a little more than a way to save Wyatt, but maybe himself as well. Chris/OFC
1. Chapter 1

Author:- TheAdoptedHalliwell

Start date:- 7th May 2008

Disclaimer:- I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. It was too great of a show to be created by little old me!

AN:- Ok, here is my first ever Charmed story. I know I already have two other stories on the go, but I've been watching Charmed lately (specifically season 6) and this idea just popped into my head an I had to write it. Hope you like!

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**Past, Present And Future**

**Chapter One**

Like any other night during the week, P3 was packed with lively, dancing patrons. It's joint owners, the Halliwell sisters Piper, Phoebe and Paige, were late, no where to be seen, and they had left Emma Nixon in charge for the night. She may only have been a barmaid on a typical night, but she was one of the very few people inside the club who the sisters trusted. The reason behind the trust, however, had nothing to do with her position at the club. The Halliwell sisters, as well as being club owners, were the most powerful witches on the side of good known as the Charmed Ones, and Emma was a previous innocent.

Emma was a witch who practised the Wiccan religion. Although she would never compare herself to the sisters, Emma had been gifted with a power. She was a psychic, and a powerful one according to the sisters, if only she could figure how to use her power properly. About a year ago, Emma had been targeted by a demon who was taking out all of the forces of good in this world, all those who could help the side of good in the future. Apparently, that was Emma. It was only then that Emma had learnt she was a psychic. Up until that moment, she had only been practising Wicca as a… well, hobby, sort of. The sisters had saved her just in time and since then she had managed to keep in touch, even getting a job in the club. She had also made herself useful from time to time with the sisters outside activities.

Meeting the sisters had opened up a lot of new doors for Emma. She had a job she enjoyed, had gotten the chance to learn more from her craft, and met a lot of very interesting people.

"Yo, barmaid!" Emma heard a male voice shout from the other side of the bar. With a roll of her eyes, Emma turned to see a guy in his mid to late twenties leaning across the bar towards her. He was the typical guy you found in this or any other club. Hair slicked back, silk shirt open at the top, and thinking every girl in the room wanted to be seen with him.

"Am I gonna get some service over here," the guy said once she turned to him. Biting back al the things she wanted to say, Emma plastered a false smile across her lips and walked over to him. "How about a beer then, darling."

Again biting back her words, Emma turned to take the wannabe Romeo's order, knowing full well his eyes were still roaming over her. One of the unfortunate things she was forced to get used to in this job was how to deal with idiots like him.

Turning back round to take the guys money, Emma couldn't help but notice the horrible, appreciative smile on his face.

"Thanks, gorgeous," he said with another smile, this time looking her up and down. Emma said nothing, just took the money and turned her back on him.

"Emma," she heard a more familiar and welcome voice call to her. The smile was real this time as she saw Chris beckoning to her.

Chris was one of those interesting people Emma had met through the Halliwell sisters. He had simply appeared in the Manor attic a few months ago claiming he was from the future here to save Wyatt. Emma had met him during one of her visits to the Manor and the pair had hit it off immediately, instant friends. It was only recently that her, and the sisters, had found out exactly who Chris actually was. He was Piper and Leo's youngest son, little brother to Wyatt.

"Hey, Chris," Emma said, stepping up to him. "You want anything in particular, or are you just here to grace me with your presence."

Chris actually smiled then, and Emma couldn't help but smile back. One, because he had such a gorgeous and infectious smile and two, because Emma had to admit that she had the smallest of crushes on the guy. Few girls wouldn't because he was gorgeous, there was no denying that. She watched him when he was in the club, the amount of girls that came up to him or gave him the eye that he turned down. She guessed that he was still getting over Bianca, his fiancée from the future he had lost at the hands of Wyatt. But he could be such a sweet guy when he wanted to be. The sisters didn't see the side of him that she did. Unless he was on one of his demon benders, he was a great guy to be around. Whereas she got to see the fun side of him, the only thing the sisters ever saw him as was their sarcastic, neurotic Whitelighter/nephew from the future.

But, despite how much she did care for him, there were two good reasons why she would never let anything happen between them if the situation ever arose. Firstly, Chris was from a different timeline and would be going back there when he finished what he had come back to do. She didn't want to fall in love with him then be the one left behind when he went back. And secondly, she already had a fiancé herself, whether he was one she loved or not.

"I was actually looking for Piper," Chris said in answer to her question, his smile still in place.

"Sorry, the sisters are AWOL tonight," Emma told him.

"All night?" he asked.

"Yep," she answered. "Which would explain why I'm back here on my own." Just then, a bunch of slightly intoxicated girls on a hen night stumbled loudly up beside her, ordering their next round. Seeing the difference between being too drunk to stand and simply having a good time, Emma served them with a smile. Turning back round, Emma was happy to see Chris still stood where he had been moments ago.

"Do you want a drink or something anyway?" she asked him.

"No, that's ok," he answered. "I'll be in the back room if you want me."

"Chris," Emma said, reaching out for his arm as he turned to leave, causing him to turn to her. "You know, it can't be right or healthy staying permanently cooped up in that tiny room."

"I'm fine, Emma, really," Chris said, trying to pull free of her grip but she was holding too tight.

"Stay out here for a bit," Emma said, almost begging. "Have a drink, talk to your friend who lately, you don't spend more than a minute at a time with." Chris actually smiled at that, half-laughing.

"I wish I could, really, but…."

"You've got a job to do, people to save, I know, I know," Emma said, having heard him say it time and time again. "Fine, I'll just go back to manning the bar… alone. Oh, and if you hear a commotion, I've just snapped with the stress and attacked the customers."

"Are you really that over-worked out here?" Chris asked.

"Well, all three sisters are out for the night, and I'm not blaming them. They deserve a night off with everything. But it's also Izzy's night off, and Matt called in sick. The only help I've got is Katie, and we all know how little work she does when Piper's not around. She spends most of the night flirting with the customers. So, basically, I'm on my own."

For a minute, Chris just sat there, watching Emma as she hurried around the bar from customer to customer. Eventually he stood up, climbing across the bar to stand at her side.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked once she saw him.

"Making myself useful and helping you out," Chris answered. "You look like you're about to drop."

"What about your _other_ work?" Emma asked, raising her eyebrows.

"It can wait," Chris said, shrugging it off.

"In that case, thank you," Emma said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek in the affectionate way she did so often.

For the next half an hour or so, Chris and Emma danced past each other as they moved to serve the waiting customers. Every now and then, Emma watched with a smile at the way Chris was around the female customers that were practically grabbing at him. He'd smile that irresistible smile of his, maybe wink at the occasional girl, but he was always polite when he eventually pushed them away with their drinks.

Emma didn't notice but every now and then, Chris was watching her. She had worked here for a while now, so she was almost an expert when it came to dealing with all the guys that were flirting with her. She really was a beautiful girl, so it was no wonder nearly every guy she served tried it on with her. She would smile sexily, and that smile of hers really was sexy, then maybe she'd let out a sweet laugh at whatever attempt at a joke they had made. She would flirt, play nice with them, but always walk away once they had their drinks, flashing that smile.

"Chris, honey," Emma called to him in that sweet tone that meant she wanted something.

"Yes," Chris said with a deep sigh, turning to her.

"You wouldn't be a doll and get a crate of vodka from the back would you?" she said, smiling innocently at him. "We're out, and it's far too heavy for little old me to carry."

"For you, anything," Chris said with a mock bow, making Emma giggle slightly as he left.

"Thank you!" she called after. He just raised his hand to show he'd heard her as he walked into the back room.

Chris had been back there for almost ten minutes before Emma wonder what might have been taking him so long. She turned to the back room in time to hear a low, muffled crash and see the door rattle slightly. Looking around the club, Emma saw that she seemed to be the only one who had noticed.

Jumping across the bar herself. Emma moved through the dense crowd and to the back room. Stepping through, Emma immediately had to duck the fireball heading straight for her head, giving out an involuntary yelp. Her appearance in the room caused both Chris and the demon who had threw the fireball to turn her way.

"Emma, duck!" Chris yelled at her as another fireball flew her way. Darting forward, Chris grabbed Emma's arm, dragging her out of the path of the fireball and inadvertedly putting himself in it. The fireball grazed across his shoulder with enough force to knock him back against the far wall.

The minute Chris went down, the demon again turned his attention to the newcomer and who he saw as the weak one. But before another fireball could fly, Emma sent a spinning kick his way, hitting him directly in the stomach and making him stumble backwards. With all the demons now in her life, Emma had taken the opportunity to learn martial arts. She didn't have powers, but that didn't mean she had to be powerless.

The demon stood back up and Emma again went to kick him, but he was ready this time. Her kick didn't get chance to land as he grabbed her foot, pulling back and knocking her hard onto her back, her head hitting against the wall. Slightly dazed, Emma didn't get chance to move as the demon fired up another fireball. Smirking, he released the fireball, sending it flying towards Emma.

All Emma could do what let out a terrified shriek as the fireball flew at her, knowing that with the speed of the thing she would never move in time to get out of it's way. But that wasn't need as, inches away from her, the fireball changed direction, returning to sender and vanquishing him in a burst of flames. Panting with fear, Emma looked up to see Chris lowering his arm, moving to stand over her.

"Are you alright?" Chris asked, helping her to her feet.

"Yeah, my head just hurts a little. You're the one that's bleeding," Emma said, reaching out and gently touching his wounded shoulder.

"It'll be fine," he said. However, he had trouble hiding the small grimace of pain as he moved his shoulder.

"Sure it will," she said with a smile. "As soon as Leo heals you."

Chris opened him mouth to argue, but at the almost pleading look in his friends eyes, he gave in and sighed, holding out his hand to her. Emma, however, didn't take his hand like he had expected. Instead she just stared at him, looking like she didn't want to take his hand, which Chris truly didn't understand.

"You gonna take my hand or not?" Chris said.

"Not if you're gonna orb, no," Emma answered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, yeah, I was," Chris said, not dropping his hand. "You're the one who wants me to go back to Leo."

"Yeah, but I didn't mean orb there," Emma said with a slightly childish but very cute pout. "It always makes me slightly nauseous as it is, and I already fell a little dizzy."

"Em!" Chris droned out, holding his hand out closer to her.

"Fine," Emma said with a slightly defeatist tone, slipping her hand into Chris'. Smiling comfortingly at her, Chris gently pulled her a little closer to him, orbing the two of them out and back to the manor, landing in the living room in front of Piper, Phoebe and Paige.

The minute they materialised, Emma staggered slightly, Chris catching her as she fell into him. When they saw Emma stagger, fall, the sisters were on their feet as well, obviously thinking the worst.

"What's wrong? Are you ok, Emma?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Emma said, straightening herself up with Chris' help, his arms still keeping a hold on her. "You can blame the demon who thought it was fun to throw me around the room."

"Demon?" Piper said, her eyes going wide as they flicked between Emma and her adult son. "Where? What happened? Are you sure you guys are alright?"

"We're fine, mum, both of us," Chris said, soothing his panicked mother.

"No, you are not, Chris," Emma said, purposefully poking at Chris' wounded shoulder, even if it was only gently, and making him groan slightly.

"Oh my, God. Leo!" Piper called, finally noticed her son's fireball grazed shoulder. Seconds later, obviously hearing the panic in his wife's voice, Leo orbed in.

"What's wrong?"

"Chris," Piper said, pointing at their son as Emma moved out of the way, letting Leo see the wounded shoulder, which he immediately healed.

"What did this?" he asked.

"A fireball," Chris answered simply.

"Yeah, and we're still waiting for you to tell us exactly what happened," Phoebe said, looking between the now healed Chris and Emma. "Either of you."

"It was in the back room of P3," Chris answered. "I went back to get a crate of vodka and there was this demon already waiting for me. I barely had chance to duck out of the road when he attacked."

"That's how you got hit?" Phoebe asked, motioning to his shoulder.

"No. Emma came in the back and I got this trying to pull her out of the line of fire."

"Yeah… sorry for distracting you," Emma said with a slightly nervous, please-forgive-me smile.

"Rather me than you," Chris said with a true smile back at her.

"Do you recognise what kind of demon this was?" Paige asked.

"No, and it doesn't matter now," Chris said, brushing this attack off in his usual manner. "He gone, vanquished to the pits of hell."

"Yeah, but there could still be more after him, maybe even wanting revenge for their fallen comrade now," Paige said. "And it's clear they're after you, Chris."

"And you came up with that theory how?" Chris said.

"Well, you said this demon was waiting for you when you went in the back room," Piper said.

"Yeah, but it's your club, mum. The demons have gotta know that by now, so they could have been after any of you three."

"Yeah, but you're the only one who uses that room. We need to look in the Book, find out what demon it was. And you…." Piper said, pointing a finger at Chris. "You are not going back to the club tonight."

"And where am I suppose to sleep?"

"Anywhere but the club. I'd say here, but there's simply no room with everyone here tonight, honey."

"Mum, I appreciate the concern, I really do, but I doubt they will be back. Not tonight anyone."

"Do you really wanna test that?" Phoebe said.

"I know I don't," Emma said with a soft smile, raising her hand slightly.

"Ok, but I repeat, where am I supposed to stay?"

"You can always stay with me."

Emma wasn't even aware she had said that until it left her mouth. But now she was more than aware of the eyes of all the family on her.

"Are you sure about that?" Paige asked her.

Emma paused, turning her eyes solely on Chris now. She was about to say that although she really wanted him safe, maybe him staying with her was not the best idea because of her fiancée, Shaun. He already didn't really like Chris, mainly because of just how well Emma seemed to get on with him. And for however long Chris was going to be in her life for, she really didn't want anymore arguments between her fiancée and her best friend.

But the minute her eyes caught onto Chris', saw that look somewhere between pleading and excitement at the prospect, Emma again found herself speaking with without full awares.

"Yeah. I'm sure."

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AN:- Ok, my first chapter of my first Charmed fiction. What do you guys think. I always appreciate reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:- I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. I just wish I did!

AN:- Yeah, I know it's been like ages since I've updated, but absolutely everything has been going wrong for me lately. But here it is, chapter 2! Enjoy!

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**PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE**

**Chapter Two**

From the hallway of a slightly run down apartment building, a blue light momentarily flashed beneath a door marked 'FIRE EXIT'. Seconds later, the rickety door was pushed open and Emma stuck her head into the corridor, scanning it before stepping out, Chris right behind her. Emma had insisted that Chris orb her in somewhere away from where anyone could see. This may not be the best place in town, but it was one of the most affordable, which meant there was enough people roaming round the hallway during the day. That left out the corridor. And Shaun was yet to find out about her alter ego, and he may be at home, so the apartment was out too. The cobwebbed stairway no one ever ventured down was the only option.

Pulling her keys from her pocket, Emma took longer than usual to open her door. And during the wait, she was praying to any God that would listen to her that her fiancé was not inside that apartment. He had never liked Chris from the moment Emma had introduced, so she hoped to wait as long as possible to have to tell him Chris would be staying with them. She needed to really prepare what she was going to say… and practise!

Scanning the apartment as she stepped inside, Emma breathed a silent sigh of relief when it was clear that Shaun was nowhere to be seen yet.

And all this didn't go unnoticed by Chris.

"Ok," Chris said, moving round to face Emma once he shut the door behind them. "It's just you and me now, so I want the truth. Am I really ok staying here?"

"Of course," Emma said with a slightly nervous laugh. "Why would you think that…."

"Shaun," Chris said simply.

"Right," Emma breathed out. "Well Shaun does… he… I mean that he…."

"Hates me," Chris finished for her, not even turning it into a question.

"Hate's a little harsh, I think," Emma said with a nervous smile. The kind Chris always found kinda cute and couldn't help smiling at her. "I think it's more a… well, honestly, I think he might actually be jealous of you. You know, the amount of time we spend together and everything."

"Jealous like he think we're… closer than he likes," Chris said mischievously, playing with her as he stalked towards. Emma, as was usual, just stood her ground and smiled back at him.

"Something like that, I guess," Emma said, her smile now just as playful as Chris'.

"Huh. I guess I can see why he hates me then. I mean, taking you away from him and all."

"Like I said, maybe hate's a bit too harsh a word."

"Of course."

For a minute, the pair stood in the centre of the room, now only inches apart and both smiling like they were sharing a private joke. Which, in their own way, they were. Chris had always figured that Shaun actually did, despite what Emma said, hate him. He saw him as competition to Emma. And she was an amazing girl, who any guy would want to keep when they had her. But the thing was, Chris didn't think Shaun deserved Emma, and he loved to know that he was messing with him, getting on his nerves. Emma knew this as well, and even if she stayed with Shaun, she still found it highly hilarious to know that her hanging round Chris could truly get to him. Kept him on his toes somehow, knowing another guy could easily come in and sweep her off her feet if he really wanted to.

The only thing was, at time, Chris did actually want to do that. Sweep her off her feet and get her away from Shaun.

And at times, Emma wanted to let him.

"This is my place too, Chris," Emma said, her smile leaving. Chris just stared at her, wondering where the hell she was going with this. "What I mean is yes, Chris, you will be fine staying here. If Shaun doesn't like it, he's gonna have to live with it." She said that a lot more confidently than she felt about the subject, and hoped Chris didn't notice.

She guessed he didn't when he simply smiled almost thankfully at her.

"Glad to hear it," he said.

"Come on, like I could leave you without a place to stay," Emma said, playfully hitting him across the arm. "Besides, you've gotta know I'm getting something out of this too."

"Oh," Chris said kinda cheerfully. "And what exactly is that?"

"Protection," Emma said with her own smirk. "Shaun knows nothing about my 'other life', he can't do anything during a demon attack. You however, can." All Chris did to this statement was laugh.

"You know what," he said, wrapping his arm round her shoulder and pulling her into his side. "I really don't care if you are simply using me for that. I'm actually glad I can play some part in keeping you safe."

"I'm not just using you for that, you know," Emma said from her position cuddled against his shoulder. "I do like having you around. No… love it."

"I know, babe," he said softly to her, wrapping his other arm round her and drawing her into a hug. Emma happily wrapped her other arm round him as well, falling comfortably into the embrace.

Stood in the centre of the room, holding Emma in his arms, Chris suddenly came to the realisation that he was perfectly happy where he was. And what made it feel all the better to him was that Emma seemed happy to, her arms wrapped tight round him and her head rest against his chest. And he knew she was smiling. Truth be told, the only time he had ever seen Emma smile out of true happiness was when she was around him or the sisters. She was just so much more in her element when she was with them, where she was suppose to be. She was marrying Shaun, which meant she had to have some feelings for the guy, clearly some kind of love, but there was just something about him that Chris didn't like. And the fact that he never seemed to make her smile or laugh was definitely top of the things that were off about this relationship.

The now silence of the room was broken by a heavy thud coming from the kitchen window. The fifth floor kitchen window. The startled pair jumped at the noise, their momentum taking them into the couch and knocking it over, sending them toppling with it. Cautious and on full alert, Chris and Emma both glanced up over the edge of the upturn couch to find a bird perched precariously on the window sill, looking dazed and dizzy from where it had clearly flown into the window, the bird sized smudge a big giveaway.

Safe, the two of the now had to collapse back against the couch, no longer able to hold themselves up as they fell into easy laughter, leaning into each other. One of those random and fun rare moments between the two where the littlest thing made them fall about in laughter. Now, however, their fun time was cut short as the door swung open and Shaun stepped in, staring at the scene in front of him.

For a moment, the three of them just continued to stare at each other, caught in a moment that would have looked comical to anyone on the outside.

"What the hell is going on here?" he finally asked after that long moment of awkward silence.

"Erm… well…. You remember Chris, right," Emma said, stammering out the first thing that came to her mind as she and Chris dragged themselves to their feet.

"Of course I know who he is," Shaun said, clearly attempting to remain relatively calm in this situation he had been presented with, and with his already overactive imagination concerning the two of them. "What I wanna know is exactly what he's doing here so late."

"Well… he's gonna be sort of… stayin' with us for a few days," Emma informed him. Her statement was again met by a stony silence and an open-mouthed stare from her fiancé, his eyes flicking between the two of them.

"Emma, can I speak to you for a moment. Privately," Shaun said in a tone that was clear held no room for argument. That was made even clearer when he turned from the room, not even waiting for her to follow. Emma shared a look with Chris before getting up and following him out of the front door, finding him already waiting for her in the landing, still looking extremely pissed off.

"Shaun, look…." Emma began, already trying to appease him.

"No," Shaun interrupted, not calming. "Why the hell is he staying in our place?"

"There was a flood in his apartment," Emma said, quickly embellishing and avoiding the word 'demon' or anything supernatural. "He couldn't exactly stay there now."

"So he's staying here!" Shaun pretty much screamed. "He doesn't have any family members who could take him in."

"The only relatives who live close by couldn't take him in right now. He had no where else to go, so I offered my place…."

"Our place. You offered him _our _place to stay at."

"This was my place to begin with. You moved in, so…."

"Yeah, you asked my to move in, right before we got engaged, so I figure I got the right of say for decisions like this."

At this point, Emma was beginning to lose what little patience she had left for Shaun and his moods.

"Look, Shaun, Chris is one of my best friends. He was in trouble, I helped him out, simple as that. I don't think he'll be here that long, just a few weeks, so do you think you could be just a little civil to him. For me."

Shaun stared at her, as much as she hated to admit it, the words 'for me' getting to him.

"Two weeks," he said after trying to stare her down. "Two weeks then he's out of here. Simple as _that_."

Emma stepped aside as Shaun abruptly swept past her back into the apartment. Alone, she took a deep, calming breath. This whole jealously thing Shaun had with towards Chris. It has been sweet at first, the macho pride about his girl being his, but now….

Making her own way back into the apartment, Emma saw Chris was the only one in the living room, getting to his feet from the now upright couch.

"Did he say anything to you?" Emma asked, nodding towards the bedroom where she knew Shaun would be.

"No," Chris answered. "He just glared at me before going into your room."

Emma simply nodded. Neither one of them were going to say anything else right now. It would just go the same way it already had. Chris would say he didn't want to be a bother, come between Emma and Shaun, and he would find somewhere else to stay. Emma would argue back that he was being ridiculous, he was here friend and staying her like she said. They knew each other well, and Chris knew that when Emma said something, she stuck to it.

So instead, Emma made herself busy with gathering the spare sheets for Chris, handing them to him as he stood by his bed, the couch.

"Goodnight, Chris," Emma said with a soft smile before she headed to her bedroom.

"Goodnight, Emma," Chris replied to her retreating back, getting the words out before she closed the door for the night.

ooooOOOOoooo

Next morning, Emma was swiftly woken from her light sleep by a series of muffled crashes from the main room. Adjusting her eyes to the morning light and waking herself up, Emma glanced to her right side to see the bed empty, Shaun already gone. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she sighed deeply and hoped to God Shaun and Chris weren't killing each other out there.

What she saw when she left her room, however, was worse.

Shaun was nowhere to be seen, but Chris was still in the living room, and he wasn't alone. Grabbing him by the collar, suspending him in mid-air, was a demon, and one who looked awfully like the demon that had attacked them the other night. The same dark clothes, long tangled hair and yellow cat-like eyes.

Just as Emma entered the room, the demon let Chris go, throwing him towards her and knocking both of them to the ground. Before Chris even had time to figure it was Emma he had fallen against, the demon was back over them, picking them both up with the greatest of ease. Looking between them, he settled his attentions on Chris, throwing Emma aside like she was nothing more than a rag-doll. She fell against the kitchen counter, sliding painfully to the floor and taking a number of work-top items with her.

Chris, still fighting against the demon, had manoeuvred away enough to throw the demon into the wall with a flick of his wrist. The demon, clearly annoyed that his victim was fighting back, powered up an energy ball to finish him off. Emma searching the contents on the floor round her, wrapped her hand round the nearest weapon: a butchers knife.

Throwing with more accuracy than she would normally possess, Emma threw the knife, hitting the demon in the back and vanquishing him before the energy ball could fly. The knife, suspended in the air for a second, clattered to the floor.

"You ok?" Emma asked Chris, pulling herself to her feet with the assistance of the kitchen worktop.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. What about you?" Chris asked, making his way towards her.

"Nothing a couple of aspirin won't cure," she told him, gently rubbing the sore spot on her head that had collided with the cabinet. "As if my migraines are bad enough, now I have to suffer through demon-induced headaches too."

"Guess me staying here changed nothing on the demon front," Chris said, snaking past Emma to fill a glass of water from the sink behind her.

"It looks like these guys are a little more determined than we first thought," Emma said, now watching Chris with growing intrigued. He handed the water to Emma and began rummaging through the cupboards, opening each one in turn, closing it when he didn't find what he was looking for. Emma was about to ask him what he was doing when he found the right cupboard, turning with a bottle of aspirin in his hands. Emma smiled in thanks at him as she emptied a couple of tablets into her hand and swallowed them with the water.

"If you'd have simply told me what you were looking for, we could have done this a lot quicker," Emma said with a grin Chris returned.

"Do you think mom and the sister will want to know about this," Chris said, coming back to the demon topic. "I mean, two attacks in as many days. A trait like persistence might help them narrow the field."

"Yeah," Emma agreed, setting the now empty glass down on the side. "It might be a good idea to mention this to the sisters. Maybe even now."

Understanding and nodding, Chris made to orb out just as Emma heard the sound of the lock turning in the front door. Acting to keep their secret, Emma grabbed Chris' arm, keeping him solid. And not a moment too sound as Shaun walked in a second later, his eyes going wide.

"What the hell happened here!?" Shaun yelled, his eyes flitting round the room. It was only then that Chris and Emma really looked at the mess around them.

Like last night, the couch was upturned, this time taking the table with it, both lying in a tented heap. From where Emma had been thrown, the kitchen utensils were scattered around the floor, porcelain and glass from broken kitchen ware dotted between them. The other kitchen utensil on the floor, the knife used to kill the demon, was lay away from everything else in the centre of the room. And then there was also a rather large, very much person shaped dent in the wall where the demon had hit. The room most definitely looked like there had been a fight... and Chris and Emma where the only two stood in it.

Stumbling to answer Shaun's question, Emma and Chris began to ramble on almost incoherently, overlapping each other and sounding like a couple of naughty children caught misbehaving. They only stopped when Shaun held up his hand to silence them, shaking his head.

"He's been here one day and something like this happens already," Shaun said to Emma, motioning round the battered room. "And you expect me to put up with this for two weeks."

"Shaun, I think that…." Emma began, only to be silenced by Shaun's raised hand again before he turned to Chris.

"I'm doing this for Emma, and Emma only," Shaun told him. "Two weeks ends, you're still here, I'm kicking you out whether you've got a place to stay or not. You got that."

Not giving Chris a chance to respond, Shaun stalked away from them, heading into his and Emma's room. He didn't slam the door, thankfully, but he did make a point of closing it behind him, blocking Chris and Emma on the other side.

"Well, looks like these two weeks are gonna be fun," Chris muttered sarcastically.

"The best," Emma returned.

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AN:- Ok, my next chapter of this FINALLY up. What do you guys think? All comments welcome.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer:- I do not own Charmed or any of the characters, because I never would have killed Chris!

AN:-Ok, I know, it has been like decades since I updated. But you have no idea how many computer problems I have had over this last year, and now it's exam time. But here it is now, Chapter 3 of my Charmed story. I hope you giys like it.

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**PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE**

**Chapter Three**

The unmistakeable and devastatingly loud thud of a slamming door echoed through the small apartment. It had become a common sound recently, one that always woke Chris, this morning being no exception. His eyes snapping abruptly open, Chris didn't need the slight shaking of the front door to tell him why he had been knocked back to reality. Now, however, the loud thud was followed by a much softer one and a weary sigh, which led into a deep silence.

Swinging his legs to a sitting position with a sigh of his own, Chris threw on his shirt from the back of the couch. Standing, he made his way to the slightly ajar bedroom door where the sigh had emitted from. Inside, he found Emma collapsed back on her bed, her legs still dangling over the edge and her arm covering her eyes.

"Good morning," Chris said cautiously.

"Morning," Emma replied, neither sitting up or removing the arm from her eyes.

"Is everything ok?" he asked.

"Just peachy," Emma answered sarcastically, still not moving an inch.

"Ok, well how about some coffee," Chris suggested, trying to take away the tension that hung thickly in the air. "And, if I can find something to rustle up, I'll even make breakfast." For the first time this morning, Chris saw the beginnings of a smile on Emma's lips as she sat up and moved her arm.

"You do that, you might be able to live up to your angel status," Emma said, her smile most definitely aimed at him now. Chris smiled back, turning on his heels and heading back into the kitchen to do as promised. He had put the water on the boil and his head was in the fridge when he heard Emma making her way out of the bedroom.

"Shaun left early again," Emma said in a conversational sort of tone.

"I heard," Chris stated as he finished making the coffee, not going into more detail. Again he heard a soft thud and a weary sigh, and turned to see Emma had collapsed onto the couch.

"Something wrong?" he asked as he walked round to her side of the couch with the coffees.

"No, nothing," Emma answered, taking the cup from him with a thankful smile as he sat beside her.

"Emma, come on, you know you can't lie to me. I know when something's wrong with you, so tell me."

Chris waited, patiently, while Emma took a sip of her coffee, doing everything to avoid looking at him. He waited until, finally, she pretty much slammed the cup on the table, turning fully to him.

"What am I doing here, Chris?" Emma asked him abruptly.

"Well, you're having a morning coffee with your best friend," Chris said, smirking slightly.

"No, I'm serious," Emma said, not laughing like Chris had hoped. "I mean what am I doing _here_, in my life? What am I doing _here_, in this apartment? What am I doing _here_, with… with Shaun?"

"What are you saying, Emma?" Chris asked, setting his coffee cup beside hers.

"I just… I just don't know anymore. This isn't the way I wanted my life to be," Emma said softly, and Chris could see the tears beginning to form behind her eyes.

"Awww, Em, come here," Chris said, pulling Emma into his arms. She gratefully accepted the embrace, her head resting on his shoulder as the tears fell her legs tucked up under her so her body was curled into a small ball, looking like a fragile child in his arms. "I think everyone feels like that at one point in their life."

"I know that, I really do. But the way things are going, it's… it's like me and Shaun are slowly turning into my mum and dad."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"For me, yes, because I never wanted to be like them. I never wanted a marriage like theirs. They were high school sweethearts, married young… and then everything went wrong. They hated each other. I mean really hated each other, to the point where they couldn't even stand to be in the same room as each other. During the end of their marriage, I know that the only reason they stayed together was… was for their kids. I'm one of the reasons my parents were so unhappy, and knowing that killed me when I was young. I never, ever wanted to be like that, blaming my kids for my miserable life."

Emma was really drying now, her body wracked with sobs, and Chris pulled her tighter into his arms to the point where she was practically sat across his lap.

"You and Shaun don't have to end up like that, you can change things."

"But that's exactly where we're heading. Lately, I've noticed that no matter what I do, that's how we're gonna end up."

"Lately… as in since I got here?"

"No, Chris, this had nothing to do with you being here. This all started before you. His jealousy over us, it's just an excuse. Another bogus reason for us to drift further apart. That's not what I want from the man I'm supposed to be marrying. I don't want to be stuck with someone out of a warped sense of compliance. What I want is the dream, Chris. Someone I care about who cares about me the same way. Someone who'll make me laugh, not cry, and comfort me. Someone I actually, truly want to be around. Someone…."

Emma let her voice trail off, an uneasy fear growing within her. That 'someone' she had described, she already knew who it was, already had him in her life. She was, at that moment, sitting in his arms.

Chris. He was everything that Shaun wasn't, his complete opposite. He had everything on that list going for him, and she truly cared about him. She cared about him more than she would ever admit, extremely close to the point where….

But she couldn't. _They_ couldn't. They were from completely different timelines, and Chris wasn't even born yet in this one. Someday soon, Chris would have to go back to his time, and that thought already hurt more than Emma ever imagined it could.

As if her body worked as a will of it's own outside her mind, Emma suddenly realised that she had tightened her hold around Chris, as if keeping him close would take away the thoughts and fears of him leaving.

"Emma…." Chris said softly, causing her to look up at him. And when their eyes met, Emma could have sworn she saw something in them. Something that told her maybe, just maybe, he was thinking the same as her.

But whatever else may have been said between them was cut short as Chris looked up, hearing another sound.

"It's mum, and it sounds important," Chris said, softly kissing her forehead as he moved her out of his arms.

"You better go before Piper really starts yelling at you," Emma said, trying her best to lighten the mood after everything.

"I know, but I just hate leaving you here alone like this," Chris said with a small smile.

"Well, it's a good job I'm coming with you then," Emma said, getting to her feet beside him. "And that is a statement which is not up for discussion. All I'm gonna be doing today is moping around here with nothing to do, so at least this get me away. No arguments, you got it?"

Chris just laughed slightly as he took her hand, orbing them away, never even intending to make any arguments.

Arriving at the manor, Chris and Emma found Piper, Phoebe and Paige already in the attic and stood over the scrying map.

"You rang, guys," Chris said as he and Emma stepped through the door. Piper looked up at his voice, smiling when her eyes fell on Emma. She should have known he had come with her. Chris was completely neurotic and goal orientated in pretty much everything he did, sometimes quite aggravating to be around… except when he was with Emma. When Emma was around, her future son was such a different person, now full of smiles and jokes. She was most definitely good for him.

"Yeah, and it's kinda good that both of you came," Piper said. "We've scried and found the location on yet another one of your stalker demons."

"Well, at least that's what we hope," Phoebe said. "Which is kinda why we needed you to come along, Chris. Identification, since you're the only one's it's attacked so far."

"And then if you give us a positive ID, we can vanquish him with these babies," Paige added, holding up a couple of potion bottles.

"If we can get rid of these pests once and for all, I'm happily on board," Chris said.

"Too right," Emma added with a small smile. "And I'll…."

"You will stay right here," Chris finished for her. "You don't need to get yourself injured again by one of these demons."

"No way!" Emma pretty much shrieked back at him. "These demons are my fight too, and I do not run away from the battle when it gets a little tough. I've told you that."

"Yeah, and I've also told you that I'm not about to be the one that puts you in danger," Chris said. "I'm just not, Emma."

"But…." Emma began, still trying her hardest to argue with him.

"No buts," Chris interrupted. "Please, Emma, just stay here where I don't have to worry about you." Without waiting for her to say anything else, Chris turned away from Emma and to the sisters, who were stood watching the pair nervously.

"You guys ready?" he asked them. They all began muttering over each other, gathering the stuff they needed. Chris turned back round, chancing a glance at the quiet Emma. The hard edge had gone from her eyes, but she was still staring at him.

"So what, I'm not allowed to worry about you?" Emma said, replying to his earlier statement. Chris smiled gently at her, moving a step forward and taking hold of her hand.

"I'll be fine, I promise," Chris assured her, giving her hand a little squeeze before stepping back to the sisters. Paige took hold of Phoebe and Chris took Piper, preparing to orb. And as they did, as their bodies began to turn to little blue and white lights, Emma darted forward, taking a hols of Chris' arm on his free side so he ended up taking her with them anyway.

The minute Chris materialised at their new destination, he felt the strong grip on his other arm and knew without a doubt who it was. Letting go of Piper, Chris span round to face a smirking Emma.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Chris yelled at her.

"Coming with you, just like I said I was going to," Emma answered very matter of factly.

"Yes, but I thought I said you were staying at the manor," Chris replied.

"Yeah, well, when have you ever won in one of our fights?" Emma asked with another, very wide, smirk.

"Look," Piper said, stepping forward to play mediator as usual when she saw Chris about to continue to argue. "She's here now and there's nothing we can do about it. We can, however, keep our voices down considering we have no idea where this demon is."

Chris, conceding his mother's point, gave Emma one last look before moving with the four girls to explore the new destination they had landed in. The group now found themselves wandering round what appeared to be an old, unused factory building. There were broken apart cardboard boxes strewn across the floor like a carpet, rusted and useless dead machines towering over them, and smashed windows and doors, letting in the only light.

All in all, not the kind of place any of them expected to land.

"You know," Emma began, talking softly. "When I think of those demons, this is not exactly the first kind of place that springs to mind."

"You're right," Chris said, the pair agreeing for the first time tonight. "Abandoned warehouses aren't exactly the norm."

"This is where the crystal landed," Piper said, defending her skills as a witch. "He's here, so keep a look out."

The group kept quiet after that, keeping an eye and an ear open for anything out of the ordinary. It was Emma who noticed something first, putting her hand on Chris' arm and pulling him to a stop.

"Do you hear that?" she asked softly, her whispered voice also stopping the sisters as they all listened. In the silence of the warehouse, the only sound that could be heard was the group breathing….

And distant footsteps.

Chris switched the hold between him and Emma, taking her arm and pulling her behind him as they moved closer to the sisters.

"Stay," he muttered softly to her.

"I'm not a dog, you know," she muttered back to him, though she did remain close to his side.

Seconds later the footsteps were gone and three of the demons shimmered in in front of them. Piper was quick on the defence, throwing up her hands and vanquishing one of them. The other two, however, did something quite unknown for demons. They brushed right past the Charmed Ones, merely knocking them aside as they focused on Chris and Emma.

Chris and Emma each took the demon who came at them, Chris with his telekinesis and Emma with her fighting skills, all she had. With a flick of his wrist, Chris sent the demon flying into the closest wall, stunning him for a second.

"Paige!" he screamed to the nearest family member he could see moving, the one he also knew had the potion. She threw it immediately, vanquishing the demon. Chris turned to look for the other demon just in time to see it throw Emma across the room. Another flick of his wrist and this demon was also thrown aside, ready for Paige to throw the potion and vanquish the final demon.

The fighting over, Chris ran across the room to Emma, who was lay extremely still where the demon had thrown her, blood flowing from a wound in her head. Without a word to the sisters, knowing they would follow him, Chris took Emma into his arms and orbed out.

He materialised in the manor's living room, the sisters indeed seconds behind him.

"Dad!" he called out. "Dad, get down here!" Leo answered, orbing in beside his son.

"Chris, what the…." Leo began.

"Emma," Chris interrupted, bringing Leo's attention to the woman lying unconscious in his son's arms. He kneeled beside them, his hands hovering over her with their healing glow. Seconds later, the wound was gone and Emma was sitting up, only to be pulled into Chris' arms as he hugged her in relief.

"See, this is why I didn't want you to come with us," Chris whispered into her ear.

"I'm fine," Emma whispered back to him. But, instead of being reassured, Chris almost forcefully pulled away from Emma and marched up the stairs without another word. Emma looked at the others in the room before following after Chris.

Upstairs she found him in the attic, frantically flipping through the Book of Shadows.

"Chris, what are you doing?" Emma asked him. "We've already found the demons."

"No, I don't think we have," Chris said, not looking up from the Book.

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked.

"I think there's an upper level demon behind all this, someone control these lackeys, because that's all they are," Chris went on. "I mean, look at tonight. With an opportunity to come at the Charmed Ones, the demons go for you and me instead. That shows me a plan with a much higher level of thinking then these demons are known for. They're merely hired muscle."

Emma watched Chris' furrowed brow, his concentrated look, and his hand flipping quickly through the pages of the Book. And all she could do was laugh.

"What?" Chris said, looking up from the Book at Emma's laughter.

"Nothing," Emma said, still smiling at him. "I've just never seen you this determined before."

"Yeah, well your life wasn't directly in danger before," Chris replied, going back to flipping through the pages of the Book.

"Awww, that's sweet, Chris, really," Emma said, laughing softly again.

"Em, this really isn't a laughing matter," Chris said, looking up again. "It's clear that these guys are after you know, and you've got no way of protecting yourself."

"Isn't that what you're for," Emma said with a smirk and a quirk of her eyebrows. "I mean, that is why I let you move into my place against Shaun's wishes, right?"

All Chris did in reply was give her a look of distain and a roll of his eyes before going back to the Book yet again. Emma let out a sigh and crossed the room to stand beside Chris, placing one hand across the page he was reading to grab his attention, her other arm going to his waist to both turn him to her and keep him in front of her. He had an unfortunate habit of escaping conversation that weren't going his way by orbing out.

"Look Chris, I appreciate your concern for me, I really do. But I'm making such a joke out of this because I can take care of myself, powers or not, and you know that."

At some point, Emma's hand from the Book had moved to join the other one across the other side of Chris' waist, his hands also moving of their own accord to rest against her arms.

"All of that doesn't stop the fact that I _want_ to protect you."

"Don't I have a fiancé that's supposed to do that?"

"Yeah, one who knows nothing about your behind the scenes life, or the danger you end up in. Mostly thanks to me, actually."

"Ok, you have a point there. Although not about you putting me in danger, because I do that well enough myself." Moving the rest of the way forward, Emma wrapped her arms round his waist, leaning against his chest while Chris wrapped his own arms round her. "But if you wanna keep protecting me, that is absolutely fine with me, doll. I like how much you care."

"I do care. A lot," Chris said, pulling her a little closer to him and kissing the top of her head. Emma smiled and let her head rest contently against Chris' chest, his cheek leaning into the softness of her hair. Both just stood happily enjoying the closeness and comfort they got from each other. A closeness Emma had found out only this morning that she craved more than anything. That was until they were interrupted by a short, shrill cry from behind them.

Turning, they saw Wyatt stood in the middle of the room, a pout on his lips and his eyes shining with tears. Emma pulled out of Chris' grip and moved back across the room to lift the young boy into her arms.

"What's up, little man," Emma said softly to him, feeling his arms hold tight to her. From the other side of the room, she heard a muffled thud as Chris slammed the Book shut.

"God, why didn't I think of this before," he groaned out.

"Think of what?" Emma asked, turning back to face him.

"About why these demons just keep appearing. Why in a group they totally ignored the infamous Charmed Ones and only came after you and me. There's only when explanation." He paused here, only going on with a 'please continue' look from Emma. "These guys aren't in the Book because the sisters haven't faced them yet. They're from the future. And the only person we know in the future capable or even willing, to do something like this, is Wyatt."

"Come on Chris, there's gotta be another explanation than that," Emma said softly. "I mean, he doesn't even know about me."

Before Chris could argue back to that, a bright blue portal opened up on the wall behind them, causing Emma to back up closer to Chris' side and protectively tighten her hold on Wyatt. However, the guy who stepped out from the portal was not actually what she had expected. He looked in his mid twenties and was dressed head to toe in black with bedraggled, dirty-blond hair and brown eyes that looked quite familiar. His face, though seemingly etched into a permanent scowl now, Emma knew at one point had been very handsome, again in a familiar way.

"Still think there's another explanation?" Chris said, his words aimed at Emma even as his eyes held the new figure.

"What, you're telling that is… is…." Emma stammered, her eyes flicking between the new intruder, Chris beside her, and young Wyatt in her arms.

"Hello, little brother," the newcomer, apparently future Wyatt, said to Chris with a smirk before turning his attention to Emma. "Well, well, well, what have we here. It seems that wherever you go, Chris, you manage to pull together your little supporters. And very pretty little things at that. What is it you say to these girls? Or… perhaps it's something you do." Wyatt again smirked evilly as he took a step towards the pair. Chris took his own step forward, standing in front of Emma, the action making Wyatt laugh cruelly.

"Oh, don't worry, I didn't come here to attack your little girlfriend," Wyatt told them. Emma, behind both the brothers, gently placed the young Wyatt on the floor, kneeling to be at his level.

"Wyatt, orb out to your mummy," she told the young boy softly. He looked up into her eyes, those cruel brown eyes she could feel staring at her from above this time looking up at her with such innocence she could not believe would ever turn so much as he did as she said and orbed out.

"Sweetheart, I'm not dumb enough to do anything to myself," Wyatt told her.

"I'm more worried about what influence you could have on him," Emma said, defiantly holding eye contact with him as she straightened to a standing position beside Chris again. Wyatt laughed softly as he kept her gaze too.

"I like her, Chris," he said to his brother. "She's got guts."

"What are you doing here, Wyatt," Chris said, his features straight. "Or more importantly, _how_ did you get here?"

"A lot of things have changed since you left, Chris. Including me. I've learnt can do a lot of things you or the sisters never dreamed of."

" 'The sisters'?" Emma echoed. "Don't you mean your mother? And your aunts?"

"Yeah, well, I would rather not be associated with those useless witches, always so concerned about right and wrong, or the consequences. I am way beyond that now."

"Right, now all you're concerned with is power and who has the most," Chris said. "How much good to you think that is gonna do you?"

"I didn't come here to argue with you, dear brother. I came to bring you home."

"And if I say no?" Chris asked.

"Well, I could never kill you," Wyatt said with a smirk. "That would merely make you a martyr. But there is one thing I've found to be effective with you." With a motion of his hand, Wyatt telekinetically pulled Emma to him, turning her to face Chris while he kept one arm holding her close round the neck. The other hand conjured an energy ball, holding it close to her.

"The woman you hold dear."

"Wyatt, let her go," Chris said, taking a step towards them, only to halt as Wyatt moved the energy ball closer to Emma.

"I'll let her go, Chris, not a scratch on her, when you promise to come home like a good little boy."

"Fine," Chris answered. "I'll come back, whatever you want, just let her go."

"Chris, don't," Emma called to him, groaning in pain slightly as Wyatt held her tighter.

"Let her go, Wyatt," Chris said calming, ignoring Emma's comment. Wyatt laughed slightly, leaning closer to Emma's ear.

"Oh, he must really care about you," Wyatt whispered to her. "I mean, he knows what's waiting for him… and it won't be pleasant."

Emma struggled her hardest against Wyatt's hold, actually feeling tears beginning to form behind her eyes. There was no way she was letting Chris go back to that future he had told her about, not just to save her life. It was then that the sound of footsteps began travelling up the stairs and the scene within the attic froze.

"You wanna explain all this away to the sisters," Emma said with a smirk towards Wyatt. "Because I doubt they'll be too happy when they know what you're gonna do to the _good_ son." The last word hitting home the way Emma had wanted them to, Wyatt growled slightly, extinguishing the energy ball in his hand.

"I do hope I'll be ssing you again soon, sweetheart," Wyatt hissed in her ear, kissing her cheek and them pushing her forward, Chris easily catching her in his arms.

"See you real soon, brother," Wyatt said, orbing out. A second after he left the attic, Piper entered, baby Wyatt held in her arms with tears streaming down his eyes.

"What is going on up here?" she asked. "Wyatt just orbed in front of me, crying and screaming and pointing at the attic. What happened?"

"Nothing, mum," Chris said, exchanging a look with Emma. She didn't need that look to know to be quiet though. There was enough going on, Piper did not need to know that her eldest son was also in this time, trying to take her youngest to a future that was not holding any good things for Chris.

Wyatt, still crying, struggled in his mother's arms until she put him down. The minute his feet touched the floor, they quickly carried him across the room to Emma, wrapping his little arms round her legs. Emma leant down and scooped him up into his arms, hugging him as those arms now wrapped round her neck. She loved this little child just as much as she loved all the Halliwell family, he was the sweetest child any mother could ask for.

And, after seeing what she had just seen, Emma was now just as determined as Chris to keep him this way.

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AN:- Ok, so what do you guys think? You know I always love to hear from you, anything you have to say.


	4. Chapter 4

****Disclaimer:- I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. I could never come up with such brilliantness!

AN:- Ok, this time it really has been decades since I've posted, but you don't even wanna know what has been happening to me! Anyway, I'm really trying to start up better with my updates again, so here's the new chapter of my Charmed story.

oooOOOooo

**PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE**

**Chapter Four**

Chris was woken abruptly in the middle of the night by a clatter coming from the kitchen. As always, he was awake and alert in only a matter of moments, looking round for the source of the sound. In the kitchen, he didn't find no big, sulking monster or demon. Instead, he found Emma stood in front of the sink, her back to him and the recently cleaned dishes collapsed into a muddled pile on the side.

"Emma?" he said softly, sitting up on the couch. For a moment, she didn't do anything. Didn't move, didn't say anything, didn't acknowledge that he had spoken, like she hadn't even heard him.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she finally said, her voice just above a whisper.

"It's been a long day, what are you doing awake at this hour?" Chris asked gently.

"Couldn't sleep," Emma said simply, still not turning around.

"Emma, will you come and sit over here, please," Chris asked. "I'm not all too keen on talking to your back."

"Chris, I'm fine, honest," Emma said, although Chris didn't believe her for a moment. "Why don't you just go back to sleep and I promise I'll try and be quiet."

"Yeah, I'm not going back to sleep until you come and sit over here," Chris told her.

For a moment, Emma stood still again. Chris thought she wasn't going to move, and was just about to get up and physically pull her back towards the couch if he had to, but slowly, she did turn towards him. Just as slowly, she made her way over to the couch, sitting stiffly beside Chris as he slid over on e couch.

Chris sat watching her for a moment. She was pale, paler than he had seen her in a long time. And she was sat so stiffly, like she didn't know what to do with herself. He shifted himself a little closer to her, taking her hand gently in his.

"The reason you can't sleep? Nightmares, perhaps." Emma nodded in answer to him. "Well, after the past few days…."

"It's not all the demons, Chris," Emma told him, a small laugh behind her voice. "After everything, that's one part of my life that I don't think scares me at all anymore. But today Chris, getting that little glimpse into your future…."

Chris understood completely. After Wyatt had left, Chris had orbed all over the place to try and find him, leaving Emma in the attic with Baby Wyatt. When he had come back a good few hours later, Emma was still there, and so was Baby Wyatt. Toys were scattered round the attic floor, and Emma was sat on the couch, Wyatt asleep on her lap as she softly stroked his hair.

When Emma had finally acknowledged that Chris was back in the room, he had seen it in her eyes then. He had seen the fear and pain behind those eyes, even if she tried to hide it with what Chris could see was a pained smile. She knew the horror that Chris had left behind from his future… or at least part of it.

He could see the same look in her eyes now, even when she wasn't looking at him fully.

"Because I think I get it now, Chris," Emma continued. "I understand just why you're back here, and why you're so completely one minded about these things. I mean, when I look at that little boy, that sweet and innocent little child… I can't imagine him tuning into that man today. That man with no regard for family or human life. He threatened me with an energy ball to get his own way Chris, and I know he would have gone through with it. I could feel it."

"Oh he would have," Chris agreed with her. "That's why I was so willing to go with him, because I prefer you alive."

"And you really would have gone back to save my life Chris, wouldn't you?" Emma said, finally turning to face Chris head on.

"Without a second thought, and you know it," Chris told her honestly.

"And you shouldn't have Chris," Emma said, tears pooling in her eyes. "What would have happened if you would have gone back? I'll tell you what. That little boy I adore so much would have been left without anyone to protect him, and he would have turned into that monster who knew your weaknesses well enough to use me as bait. And I don't even wanna begin to think what would have happened to you once you go back… and frankly I don't think I _want_ to know. All I know is that for none of us to live the life that I don't like thinking about you living through, you need to be here, now. You're too important to the whole future and timeline thing to go doing something like that."

"And what, you don't think your life is just as important?"

"Don't look at me like I'm on a suicide kick, because I'm not. I just know that in the long run, the saving the whole future kinda big picture thing, you really _are_ so much more important than I am."

"Well, you are to me," Chris said softly, gently tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear, his hand lingering for maybe a moment more than was decent between friends.

But Emma said nothing, she simply tucked her legs up under herself on the couch and leant further into Chris, her head dropping onto his shoulder. Out of pure instinct, Chris curled his arm round the upper half of her body, pulling her snugly against his side. This position was all too familiar to the pair of them… and the thought that it was maybe just a little too intimate has crossed through their minds occasionally.

Growing up, this is what Emma had dreamed of most. Finding someone she felt so comfortable with, someone she could just curl up with contently in silence. Someone who, the minute their arms surrounded her, the worries of the world just suddenly melted away.

It was just a shame that those arms didn't belong to her fiancé.

"Chris?" she mumbled softly, letting her eyes drop closed.

"Yes?" he replied, leaning his head down against Emma's.

"We're gonna solve this, right?" she said, her voice taking on a sleepy tone. "We're gonna make sure that Wyatt becomes the good man he is meant to be… and you get to live that perfect life you deserve."

"Yes, Emma, we're gonna solve this. That's a promise," Chris told her, a soft smile gracing his lips.

Chris felt his own eyes slipping closed as he felt his body relax, the hardships of the day slithering away like the evil things they were. Holding this beautiful woman in his arms seemed to have that effect.

He had lived through a lot, Chris had. He'd witnessed Hell on Earth in the form of his tyrant of a big brother, been forced to live in hiding with the rest of the witches, and watched as all his family and all the people he loved most were murdered before his very eyes. All this in his short twenty odd years… yet the one thing her never had was the feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he was this close to Emma.

He truly had loved Bianca with all his heart. She had been there for him at a time when he had most needed someone, and a deep and meaningful love had grown from that. Their time together was something he wouldn't change at all, not even the bad times, because they were part of what made him the way he was. But despite this, there was one thing he knew without a doubt.

If he and Emma had met in the future, he would have loved her more.

Her soft, even breathing told Chris that Emma had fallen asleep curled against his side. In yet another instinctive move, Chris pressed a soft, sweet kiss to the top of Emma's head, feeling sleep wash over him as well, Chris relaxed down into the couch, Emma's body adjusting to stay cuddled as they both drifted to dreamland.

In their own state, in a world completely just the two of them, neither Chris nor Emma had heard the other door in the apartment click open. And neither knew Shaun was stood behind them, watching the sleeping pair with a deadly glare even Wyatt would be proud of.

oooOOOooo

Emma's mind slowly drifting back to the land of the living, stretching out her aching muscles. As she did, she felt her feet, head, and side meet obstructions, and opened her eyes to find herself stretching across the length of the couch. For a moment, she had to take her mind back. It took her a moment to remember talking with Chris on this couch, her head drooping to relax against his shoulder. She must have fallen asleep there.

Sitting up to read the clock over the back of the couch, Emma noticed for the first time that there was a blanket lay across her body. She couldn't help the delighted smile that graced her lips at Chris' thoughtfulness.

"Morning," a voice spoke up behind her, making Emma jump slightly, gripping to the back off the couch to keep herself from falling off it. Turning, she found Shaun in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and watching her.

"Good morning, honey," she replied, her smile a little less bright.

"It was a bit of a surprise to wake up and find you on the couch this morning," Shaun said, his voice sounding awfully calm. Eerily calm, actually.

"Well… I couldn't sleep, so I came out here and ended up talking it over with Chris," Emma said, trying to brighten her smile. "Guess I must have fallen asleep out here."

"If you were having such a problem sleeping, why didn't you just stay and talk with me, your fiancé, instead of coming out here to Chris?" Shaun said, his voice beginning to loose that edge of calm.

"I didn't come out here purposefully to talk to Chris," Emma tried to explain herself. "I just ended up waking him up by mistake, and he was just there."

"Oh, he was there, was he," Shaun said, sarcasm edging clearly into his voice. "Well, I wonder what else Chris 'was just there' for that I've managed to miss."

And that did it, Emma didn't think she could take it anymore. She was sick of Shaun's clear hatred towards Chris. He was her best friend, and if he was really gonna try and stop her from being around her friends now, what else would go when they were married? Heaving a deep sigh, Emma pushed the blanket away from her, standing off the couch.

"Please, Shaun, just stop this. No matter what you think of him, or me and him for that matter, Chris is one of my best friends. Me being engaged to you doesn't stop me wanting to b his friend, nor does Chris being my friend stop me from caring about you."

"You've really started to believe that, haven't you? You've really fooled yourself into thinking there's nothing between you two but friendship."

"What on Earth are you talking about, Shaun?"

"I'm talking about Chris. Someone would have to be either blind or a complete fool not to see that he is completely into you, so which one are you?"

"Neither, because that is so far from the truth. Chris is my friend, nothing more. And I think you should credit me with enough sense to be able to tell if Chris was… what were the words you used? Into me?"

"You know what, it actually doesn't matter what you've made yourself believe. Chris' two weeks are almost up, which means he's out of here very soon. And when he is gone, that's it. I don't wanna see him here again, I don't wanna hear his name mentioned ever again… and you most definitely will not be seeing him again."

"Wake up, Shaun, we are not living in the middle ages. Us getting married does not mean you can control me. I will be friends who whoever I wanna be friends with, simple as that. You know what… the more you tell me not to, the more I want to. You never know, I just might ask Chris to move in for a _lot_ longer."

With a cocky smirk, Emma turned her back on Shaun, thinking this conversation was over. She was just a step outside her bedroom when Shaun ran round the room, skidding in front of Emma and blocking her path.

"No, that is not how it will be. Your wedding vows say obey, and that is what you will do. Obey me. In this case, that means that once you're with me, you never… see Chris… again," Shaun gritted between his teeth, gripping Emma's chin hard between his forefinger and thumb, keeping her eyes locked on his. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Knock it off, Shaun," Emma said, forcefully brushing Shaun's hand from her face, trying her best to stop her voice from shaking in fear. "What ends is this behaviour. This isn't you, and I'm not gonna stand for it."

Again, Emma tried to make a move into the bedroom. She didn't even manage to move a step though before Shaun was on her again, this time more forceful than just grabbing her chin. Taking a firm hold on her arms, Shaun slammed Emma hard into the wall beside the bedroom, Emma's eyes opening wide in real fear as Shaun's angry face edged closer to inches from her face.

"I really don't think you understand, sweetheart," Shaun said, that eerie calm tone back in his voice. "Once we're married, you're mine. I own you, far and square. So when I say you won't see Chris again, you don't see Chris again. No discussion, it just happens, ok. But for now, until that day… let's talk about Chris."

In a move so fast Emma practically missed it, Shaun's hand fisted in Emma's hair, making her cry out in pain as he pulled her head back.

"Or more specifically, let's talk about _you_ and Chris, and what I saw last night."

oooOOOooo

AN:- Ok, Shaun's real colours are really starting to show. You know I love reviews, so give, give, give... please!


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